2026 & 2027 Upcoming Releases
Spoiler-free ARC reviews of the most anticipated thriller and mystery releases.
81 days
Everything She Didn’t Say
Jane Casey
A dream holiday to an idyllic Irish clifftop cottage called Shadow House shatters for Ruth. She awakens alone, covered in someone else's blood, with her friend Maura vanished without a trace into the wild Atlantic air.
The initial shock leaves Ruth silent, a ghost haunting the scene of a terrible mystery. But young, determined Detective Farell finds a way to pierce through her trauma, uncovering a name – Maura – and a story of a recent, bitter fight between the two women.
Yet, as Farell digs deeper, a chilling discrepancy emerges: the locals swear they only ever saw one woman arrive at the cottage. Was Ruth truly a victim, a witness to an unspeakable act, or is her involvement in Maura’s disappearance far more sinister than she dares to admit?
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this title.
Trying to piece together a mystery where everyone might be lying is exactly my kind of reading experience. The short chapters keep the story moving at a medium to fast pace, and the structure of jumping between past and present immediately pulled me in. I spent the entire time second-guessing every character. Ruth was a tough person to connect with. On the surface, she comes across as meek, but the further into the narrative I got, she just gave off a manipulative vibe that made it hard to trust her. It made for a fascinating, if somewhat frustrating, dynamic. On the flip side, the detective duo of Ben and Farrell really worked. They brought completely different energies to the case, and their partnership felt balanced and genuinely interesting to follow.
While the buildup was tense, the story just dragged a bit near the end, slowing the momentum down right when things should have been accelerating. But that final chapter completely redeemed the slower sections—it delivered an amazing note to close on.
If you like dual timelines, manipulative characters, and complex detective partnerships, then you will enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #EverythingSheDidntSay
130 days
One Of Us Is Guilty
Steve Cavanagh
Vanessa Vanderpool knows betrayal. She’s learned its bitter taste, built her life against its shadow. Now, as she watches her husband disappear into a secret apartment, the carefully constructed walls around her world begin to crumble. Patrick’s reckless indiscretion threatens everything she’s fought to achieve. Pain and a dangerous resolve course through her veins. She steps into the building, ready to reclaim her future, no matter the cost.
Meanwhile, Patrick Vanderpool has found a fleeting escape from his powerful father's demands and his own hollow existence. In the arms of Molly Green, he finally feels real. But a moment of illicit intimacy shatters when he stumbles upon Molly’s private diary. What he uncovers within its pages isn’t just a secret; it’s a terrifying truth that turns his brief freedom into a trap. Betrayed by the woman he thought offered solace, Patrick’s own anger runs icy cold.
Two lives, consumed by deceit and the desire for control, are on a collision course. Someone is about to make a deadly mistake. The question isn't who pulls the trigger, but who orchestrated the perfect storm.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced copy of this title.
Steve Cavanagh builds a brilliantly complex structure in One Of Us Is Guilty. The story is a slow burn as the initial pieces are set up, but the payoff is worth it. The narrative switches between several different points of view and throws in a little time jumping, though it stays primarily rooted in the present. Between the shifting timelines and the large cast of characters, the plot is undeniably intricate, yet it is handled so well that it never becomes confusing.
The pacing and focus shift noticeably at the midway point. The first half leans heavily into the gritty details of the investigation, while the second half transitions into a tense, high-stakes courtroom drama. Eddie is a massive standout for me. As a lawyer who refuses to defend anyone but the truly innocent, he has a strict moral code, but his background as a former con artist means he knows exactly how to color outside the lines when the situation calls for it. That duality makes him highly entertaining to follow, especially as the plot tightens. The surprises waiting at the end are executed perfectly and completely caught me off guard.
If you like slow-burn legal thrillers, shifting timelines, and clever courtroom showdowns, then you will enjoy this book.
#NetGalley #OneOfUsIsGuilty
18 days
Possession Island
Sarah McCarry
Angela Bell never had an easy childhood on Possession Island, the isolated Pacific Northwest locale made famous by her late mother’s blockbuster vampire book. Coming back from college is hard enough, but it becomes a nightmare when her estranged best friend, Mo, turns up dead. While navigating this fresh grief, Angela suddenly finds herself the primary focus of a highly flawed local police inquiry.
Across town, Sally Raleigh is desperate to escape the island but remains anchored by her ailing father and her fierce loyalty to her twin brother, Adrian. Seeing her old high school rival Angela return is the last thing Sally wants. However, shattered by the loss of Mo, Sally decides to put their bitter history aside and reluctantly teams up with Angela to track down the culprit.
Digging into the island's dangerous undercurrents forces both women to figure out exactly what they are willing to risk for the people they care about most. As their makeshift investigation deepens, it becomes clear that the dark secrets they are hiding from one another are on the verge of being exposed.
Possession Island by Sarah McCarry is a deeply moving exploration of love, life, and friendship that relies on emotional resonance. The chapters are long and the timeline jumps around frequently between the past and present, which can get a bit confusing at times and makes the present-day plot feel like a slow burn. However, the gorgeous writing and depth of feeling more than make up for the slower pacing. Even though the overarching mystery takes a backseat to the character dynamics for most of the journey, it remains an underlying thread that pays off beautifully in the end. When all the pieces finally come together, the book delivers a great, high-stakes twist that feels much more akin to a traditional thriller. It is a beautifully crafted, thoughtful read that succeeds because it takes its time building history before delivering a highly satisfying conclusion. #NetGalley #SaturdayBooks
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What is an ARC?
An ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is a pre-publication version of a book provided by publishers so reviewers can share early feedback. Our spoiler-free reviews help you decide which upcoming titles to add to your pre-order list!
Advance copies reviewed on SpoilThePlot are securely sourced through industry partners, including NetGalley and Inside Story.